The Last Marauder
by MikeTheGoldfish
Summary: In the time before Voldemort's rise to power, even falling in love is dangerous... RemusOC
1. Default Chapter

for Roxie

* * *

Down a narrow, cobblestoned street off of Daigon Alley, the wind blew cruel and cold. Remus tightened his cloak more snugly about his shoulders. Between his raised hood and the fading daylight, he looked much older than he actually was. At least that's what he assumed led to the odd reception he was given by Madame Prosily. 

"Mr. Lupin!" she crooned, ushering him into the sitting room.

"You've come at last, you dear man." With that she held out her hand for the sixteen year-old to kiss. Confused, he bent his head down towards her hand, and the firelight fell onto his young features. But before he could reach her hand, Madame Prosily lifted it to cup Remus's chin and forced his face upwards, examining him.

"You must be young Remus! Well, I only assume, you look just like your father. And he is...?"

"Still at the Ministry. He sends his regrets, Madame Prosily. Something rather urgent came up - he was not at liberty to tell me what," he hastily added as the womans eyebrows shot up. They lowered again, and she looked like she had been denied a treat.

Madame Prosily matched her sitting room. Both were draped in scarlet and black lace, and displayed a tremendous amount of beaded fringe. The ceiling was low, which suited the squat witch, but Remus felt the urge to duck his head. Though he had never been inside of an orphanage before, this was certainly not what he expected one to look like. Vases of roses stood on several tables, and a large fire which dominated one wall made Madame Prosily's curly grey hair glow orange.

"Though I am sad to miss your father, I am very glad to make your acquaintance. Please, sit down. Tea?" Before Remus could answer, she had bellowed out "Phoebe! Tea!" in a voice quite unlike the low refined tones she had used a moment before.

Remus withdrew a check and nervously laid it on the low table between their chairs. Something about this woman made him wish that he was already on his way home. "The Ministry is so proud of the work you do. They are honored to help you and your girls work towards a brighter future. Several prominent families have made donations as well." Madame Prosily eagerly drew the check closer to her, noting that it was for more than double what she expected.

"Well Remus," she purred, "This is... excellent. Your fathers capabilities are most impressive." Then she gazed at him without speaking for a full minute, as if she was dissecting him with her eyes. Remus cursed whatever emergency had come up, and wished his father was able to keep his own appointments. He was rising to leave when a tall girl came in with a large silver tea service. Though she kept her eyes down, Remus saw her looking at him, amused by his odd posture. He hastily slid back into his seat, and accepted a cup of tea while trying not to grimace. The girl glanced again at Remus and smiled slightly, before backing out of the room.

* * *

Remus shifted in his seat, hoping that Madame Prosily would not pour him a third cup of tea. Her questions about his family, his schooling, and his childhood were making him more and more uncomfortable. She seemed to sense what he wanted to talk about least, and then would choose a question that was pointedly along those lines. 

"Now why did your parents choose to home-school you for so many years, Remus?" She leaned forward as she asked, giving a conspiratorial smile, as if he'd whisper his reply. Remus didn't know how to answer her, he couldn't even think of a good lie.

"Well... my Mum... she..."

"Go on..."

But before Remus could go on, he was saved by a green flash in the fireplace. A man's head came into view, sooty and sweaty, but obviously very excited. His head was plump and bald, his cheeks flushed pink, and had a silly little curled goatee.

"Beatrice, wonderful news! I've found you one with a golden fleece this time! Get over here soon, you can escort the girl to the funeral... that will be truly touchin-"

"Phillip! Can you not see I am with a guest? Remus, this is my colleague, Phillip Trezza. Phillip, this is Remus Lupin, young John's son." She pursed her lips and gave Phillip a significant look. "This is neither the time nor the _place_. I will be with you shortly." Phillip nodded, his head spun a few times in the fire and then was gone.

Madame Prosily stood, and clasping Remus's hands in her own she said "Unfortunately, this is a twenty-four hour a day job. Someone is in need of my help, and I hope you'll forgive me for having you show yourself out. It's awfully late, feel free to use the floo if you're going far. There's powder on the mantle." Sweeping up her cloak and handbag, she turned back to say, "Remus, it was very nice to meet you. Perhaps we can finish our chat another time. _Number 16, Deans Road!"_

She was gone. Remus let out a deep breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He took a pinch of floo powder from the mantle, glad that he'd soon have his apparition licence. Stooping to the fire, he was about to leave when he heard a giggle.

A little blonde girl was peeking through the doorway. She looked at him with curiosity, and then asked to someone in the next room, "Are all the boys at Hogwarts so old?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Faye! That was very rude!" It was the tall girl who had brought the tea. She was backing the pigtailed little girl out of the door, but Faye didn't seem to want to leave.

"I'm so sorry, that won't happen again. The girls can sometimes let their curiosity overcome their manners. Come Faye..."

"What is Hogwarts like? Is everyone so old? Is there really a _giant squid_?"

"Faye!" The tall girl seemed more petrified than angry. Faye looked up at her innocently, not knowing what she'd done wrong. Remus couldn't understand why he frightened this girl so much. Hoping he wouldn't make things worse, he bent down to Faye and took her little hand.

"Some people say that the giant squid is the oldest one there." Faye nodded, her look serious.

"That makes sense. Will you tell us more?" She was pulling him out of the sitting room, and soon Remus found himself in a huge kitchen. At least a dozen little girls looked at him eagerly, and soon he was being pelted with questions.

"Girls! Please remember your manners!" The tall girl looked close to tears.

"No, please don't stand on ceremony for me. I'd love to meet your girls. My name is Remus." He held out his hand and put on his most affable smile. Finally, the girl smiled and held out her hand as well.

"I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Phoebe. These very impetuous and ill-mannered young ladies are the students and wards of Madame Prosily. This is -" But her introduction was cut off by the little girls doing it themselves.

"I'm Emma!"

"My name is Lorelei!"

"I'm Dahlia! This is my sister -"

"Peony! I'm the older one..."

"I'm Sarah! Do you want to see my toad?"

Above the din of greetings, Phoebe managed to ask, "Would you like to join us for dinner?" She had finally relaxed, and when she smiled her eyes sparkled. Suddenly, Remus was as curious as one of her little girls.

"I'd love to."

* * *

"Is transfiguration your favorite class? Are you an animagus?" 

As Phoebe and a few girls began dinner, the rest sat with Remus around the fire, knitting, or mending, all the while being a truly charming and attentive audience.

"What year are you in, Remus?"

"No, what house are you in?"

"I'll answer you both. I'm a sixth year, and I'm in Gryffindor House. Will any of you be going to study at Hogwarts next fall?"

"I will!" cried Faye. "I want to be in Ravenclaw."

"Faye? Will you fill the glasses please? Girls, dinner is ready, who would like to sit next to Remus?" Phoebe gave him a tiny wink as all of the girls raced to the table. "That's much faster than they normally come to the table." She laughed so hard that she almost dropped the soup as Dahlia unseated her sister, making room for Remus next to her.

* * *

After dinner, the girls began cleaning up, though they would not let Remus help them. It was very pleasant to sit by the fire with a cup of tea watching them work in a comfortable routine. One of the girls was pruning leaves from some of the plants that lined the window. She hadn't spoken much at all, not even a "pass the rolls." Remus approached her slowly, looking more at her plants than her. 

"I don't know your name yet." She remained silent, looking at the leaves. "That's a lovely Fennilating Fern. My mother's isn't half as big."

"Thank you. I'm Mary." Her voice was so quiet that anyone other than Remus would have had a hard time hearing her.

"Are you going to go to Hogwarts, Mary?"

"I don't know. Madame Prosily says I can't go. She says I'm a squib." She looked very upset, but went on determinedly pruning. "I think I did magic once though. I picked up a hot kettle without a towel, but my hands didn't get burned, not even a blister."

"That sounds like magic to me. Do you take care of all of these plants by yourself?"

"Phoebe helps. She gave me the seeds. She said that taking care of living things is magic, but anyone can do it if they try."

"You should see the greenhouses at Hogwarts, they're full of wonderful plants. I think you'll like it there, when you go."

"I think she will too Remus." Phoebe had snuck up behind them. "Have you seen the new buds on Mary's Singing Sunflower? In a few days the whole kitchen will be full of a happy humming sound."

"Hearing your girls, it already is. Why are you the only older girl here?" He had asked the question before he thought. How could he have been so rude? But before he could apologize Phoebe was beginning her answer.

"My mother only died last year. It's not customary for Madame Prosily to take on someone my age, but I offered to work as well. I teach the girls, some cooking, some cleaning. I'm sorry I was so harsh earlier, Madame Prosily wants us to be models of decorum. If she had been here when Faye had done that in front of a donor... We don't have anywhere else to go. Do you understand why I acted that way?" In the firelight, Remus could see that her hair wasn't really brown, it had gold and red in it. He wanted to touch it, see what the color felt like on his fingertips.

"Yes. I'm sorry that your girls can't just act like girls. Do you have any days off? I would love to show you my mother's garden." Remus was furious with himself. Why did he need to blush right now? "Mary too, if she would be allowed." Phoebe's slow smile made his heart skip a beat, but then he sad how sad her eyes looked by contrast.

"I'm sorry. I would like to see it, but I'm not allowed." She put her hand on top of his, where it rested on the window sill. Remus didn't even notice how quiet the room had become.

"Phoebe Grey! _How dare you!_ Such improper behavior! You know that the back of the house is _strictly_ off limits! I'm so sorry Remus, she will be punished." Madame Prosily was standing next to a scared looking girl in a fur coat. She looked even younger than most of the others. "I'm sorry that her deplorable behavior had to ruin your visit. And on Daphne's first night here! Mary, show Daphne to the bedroom." Mary led away the girl in silence. The happy little girls he'd been watching minutes before were now scared looking and silent. They quickly finished their work and left the room. "I must deal with this, good night Remus."

"Madame Prosily, Phoebe did nothing at all wrong. She and the girls showed me a wonderful evening! Please don't punish her."

"While I thank you for your concern, kindly leave the running of this establishment to me. This goes beyond mere punishment. _Good night_, Mr. Lupin." He had been dismissed. He shot an apologetic look at Phoebe, who looked terrified. It killed Remus to hear her pleas as he walked down the hall to the sitting room. He quickened his pace. He had to get his father. His father could fix this.

"Madame Prosily, please, I didn't mean any harm by it -"

"Enough! I'm sorry, but you have abused my kindness for the last time. Pack your bag Phoebe."

"Please Madame! I don't know where I'll go!"

As he spun in the fireplace, Remus heard a sob, and Madame Prosily's voice saying, "My decision is final. Get your things and go."

He had to find his father.


End file.
